Portugal | March 31, 2026
Vanessa Coelho-Santos, a researcher at the University of Coimbra (UC), has been awarded a $10,000 international grant by the International Society for Neurochemistry. The funding will support her research on how energy, particularly glucose, is utilized during brain development.The project, conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), aims to explore how the neonatal brain metabolizes energy differently from adults, addressing critical questions about the link between energy metabolism and brain maturation. The study will focus on changes in glucose metabolism from the neonatal phase, characterized by lactation, to later stages of life.Research will employ pre-clinical approaches using advanced imaging techniques, including high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) developed by the Laboratory of Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (LIP) at ICNAS. Additional methodologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multiphoton microscopy will complement the study.The grant is part of the Society’s Career Support Awards, aimed at empowering the next generation of neurochemists. The project will run until March 2028, advancing understanding of cerebral energy use and neurodevelopment.
Source: Universidade de Coimbra
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